Vernon Willey, 2nd Baron Barnby
Francis Vernon Willey, CMG, CBE, MVO, TD, (29 September 1884 - April 30 1982), succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Barnby of Blyth, Nottinghamshire, in 1929. He was the Unionist (Conservative) Member of Parliament for Bradford South, from 1918 to 1922. He married 20th November 1940, Banning, daughter of the late William Drayton Grange, from Pennsylvania.
Educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford University, (B.A.,1906, M.A.,1908) he served as Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (see Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry), and was later (same rank) Assistant Director of Equipment and Ordnance for the War Office, 1916-20. He fought in World War I serving in Egypt and Gallipoli. He was President of the Federation of British Industries (a predecessor of the CBI, 1925-26, a member of the Central Electricity Board 1927-46, a member of the Overseas Settlement Board from 1937, and Chev. of the Legion of Honour. He was also Master of the Blankney Hunt in 1919 and 1933. In business, he was a director of Lloyds Bank.
Lord Barnby, despite his advancing years, was an active parliamentarian and attended the House of Lords regularly. He was an early member of the Conservative Monday Club, stating at a Club function in 1964 "where would the black African population of Rhodesia have been by now without the civilizing influence of the white population?". He was Chairman of the Club's Action Fund 1969-71, and in the House of Lords in September 1972 he called for the government to suspend aid to Idi Amin's Uganda. In April 1975 he addressed the Club's Africa Group in a committee room at the House of Lords following his recent visit to South Africa and Rhodesia.
On his death without male issue, the barony of Barnby became extinct.
References
- Townend, Peter, (editor) Burke's Peerage, 105th edition, London, 1970.
- Copping, Robert, The Story of The Monday Club - The First Decade Current Affairs Information Service, London, April 1972, (P/B).